clean Hands and a pure Heart*. He fhall receive the Bleffing of Remiffion and Reconciliation; and Righteoufnefs, as the Caufe of both, from the GOD of his Salvation. Even that perfect Righteousness, which is not acquired by Man, but beftowed by JEHOVAH: which is not performed by the Saint, but received by the Sinner: which is the only folid Bafis, to fupport our Hopes of Happiness; and the only valid Plea, for an Admiffion into the Manfions of Joy.-Then follows the Apoftrophe. The Prophet forefees the Afcenfion of CHRIST and of his Saints. He fees his LORD, marching at the Head of the redeemed World, and conducting them unto the City of the living GOD. Suitably to fuch a View, and in a most beautiful Strain of Poetry, He addreffes Himself to the heavenly Portals; Lift up your Heads, O ye Gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting Doors; and the King of Glory, with all the Heirs of his Grace and Righteousness,

fball

Pfal. xxiv. 4. Who hath a pure Heart? He only, whofe Heart is fprinkled from an evil Confcience, by the precious Blood of CHRIST. Who hath clean Hands? He only, who lives, and orders his whole Conversation, by Faith in the SON of GOD. Heb. x. 22. Gal. ii.

20.

+ What the Pfalmift means, when He fays, The Bleffing, is explained by Himself, Pfal. xxxii. 1. Bleffed is He, whofe Tranfgreffion is forgiven, whofe Sin is covered. And it is well obferved by a certain Writer; "oufnefs being found only in JESUS CHRIST, the RighteSubftitute for the Guilty, to Him alone the Bleffing has refpect. The Bleffing refts only on his Righte"oufness, and follows it wherever it goes. To whom"foever it extends, the Bleffing is alfo conveyed."

1 The Words of the Apoftle, ο λαμβάνων την δωρεαν της dinators, are almost a literal Tranflation, are the very beft Explanation, of the Pfalmift's Language, py N Rom. v. 17. Pfal. xxiv. 5.

fball make their triumphant Entry; fhall enter in, and go out no more.

Having fhewn the powerful and extenfive Influence of our REDEEMER's Righteoufnefs; its Efficacy, in this World to juftify, in the other World to glorify; well may the sweet Singer of Ifrael profefs his fupreme Value for it, and entire Dependence on it. I will go forth in the Strength of the LORD GOD, and will make mention of thy Righteousness only*. As though He had faid; I will have recourfe to no other Righteousness, for the Confolation of my Soul. I will plead no other Righteousness, for the Recommendation of my Perfon. I will fly to no other Righteoufnefs, for my final Acceptance, and endless Felicity. This is that Raiment of Needlework and Clothing of wrought Gold †, in which the Church, the Queen-Confort, is presented to her immortal Bridegroom; with which She enters the everlasting Habitations, to be " for ever with the "LORD."This is that Garment for Glory and for Beauty, which clothed our great HIGHPRIEST; and, defcending to his very Feet, clothes and adorns the lowest Members of his mystical Body.

Recollecting all the foregoing Particulars, justly and on the moft rational Ground, does our royal Author

Pfal. Ixxi. 16. There is, in the Hebrew Original, and in the new Tranflation, a very emphatical Repetition; which adds Weight to the Sentiment, and demands a peculiar Attention from the Reader: Thy Righteoufnefs, even thine only.

+ Pfal. xlv. 13.

Exod. xxviii. 31. Notabat, fays WITSIUS upon the Place, illud Pallium Juftitiæ, quo indutus eft, & fuos induit CHRISTUS.

Rev. i. 13.

Author declare; Blessed are the People, that know the joyful Sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the Light of thy Countenance. In thy Name fhall they rejoice all the Day: and in thy Righteousness shall they be exalted.They are truly bleffed, they alone are happy, who know the joyful Sound of the Gospel; not only receive it with their Ears, but admit it into their very Hearts; fo as to partake of the facred Peace, and fpiritual Liberty, which it proclaims. They fhall walk in the Light of thy Countenance; they fhall enjoy fuch Communications of thy Grace, and fuch Manifeftations of thy Love, as will conftitute the Serenity and Sunshine of their Souls. In thy Name, O LORD JESUS CHRIST, in thy matchless Person, and thy infinite Merits, fhall they rejoice †. And not occafionally, but habitually;

* Pfal. lxxxix. 15, 16.

+ Some Readers, perhaps, may think this Interpretation of the Word Righteousness, not ftrictly proper; and the Proof which Afpafio draws from fuch Paffages of Scripture, not fufficiently conclufive.-For their Satisfaction and my own, I would ask; What other Interpretation, confiftent with the Tenour of the Gofpel, can be put upon the Word? Can it mean GOD's Juftice, which giveth to All according to their Deferts? In this View, David could have little Caufe to rejoice in it, but abundant Reafon to be terrified at it.-Does it fignify GOD's Faithfulness in performing his Promises? What are all his Promifes, but Expreffions of Good-will in CHRIST; founded on the Merits and Righteoufnefs of CHRIST; or, as the Apoftle fpeaks, yea and amen, both made and confirmed, in CHRIST JESUS? -Does it denote the Mercy and Benignity of GOD, juftifying, regenerating, faving Sinners? This Senfe, and indeed every comfortable Senfe, either immediately refers to, or ultimately terminates in, CHRIST' and his Grace; CHRIST and his Righteoufnefs. For, in every

Thing

bitually; not barely at fome diftinguished Intervals, but all the Day. Their Joy fhall be as lafting, as it is fubftantial.-Though abafed, though confounded in themselves, in thy Righteousness fhall they be exalted; now exalted to a State of holy Friendfhip and delightful Communion with GOD; and exalted, when Time fhall be no more, to a State of celestial Glory, and eternal Blifs.

How thoroughly evangelical is this feraphic Writer! He has Joy, He has Bleffedness, and He looks for everlasting Exaltation. Yet not from his Faith, his Repentance, and his own fincere Obedience. According to this, which is the modern Scheme, Faith, instead of receiving, would fupplant the LORD JESUS: Repentance, instead of being the Gift of CHRIST, would become his Rival: and fincere Obedience, which is for the Praise and Glory of GOD, would eclipfe and impoverish his Grace. But David adopts no fuch Sentiments. David maintains no fuch Doctrine. This is the invariable Language of his Heart; this the Burden of his Song; All my Springs of Hope, of Trust, and Confolation, O thou adored IMMANUEL, are in Thee *.

This Senfe is the lefs precarious, I had almost faid the more certain, as it exactly correfponds with the Analogy of Faith, and coincides with the exprefs Declarations of other Scriptures.-Ifaiah is ftyled the Evangelift of the Jewish Church. Becaufe, more frequently than any of the Prophets he

Thing confolatory, CHRIST is ALL. And if this be true, Afpafio's Doctrine cannot be falfe, nor his Expofition wrong.

Pfal. lxxxvii. 7.

he celebrates, and more copiously explains, this and other Peculiarities of the Gofpel.-In the very firft Chapter, He preaches these glad Tidings; Sion fhall be redeemed with Judgment, and her Converts with Righteousness. Sion, the Gospel-Church, compofed of fallen Creatures, fometime disobedient to their GOD, and enflaved to Satan, fhall be redeemed. Redeemed, not with corruptible Things, Silver and Gold, but by fevere Judgments executed on their glorious HEAD, and gracious REPRESENTATIVE. And not by these only, but by Righteousness alfo; by the perfect and most meritorious Obedience of the famé divinely excellent PERSON *.

Our facred Author bears his Teftimony with warmer Zeal and brighter Evidence, as he proceeds in his incomparable Difcourfes. Surely, fhall one fay (or, as it may be rendered, only) in the LORD have I Righteoufnefs and Strength +. Please to obferve, Theron,

Hanc Redemptionem docet SPIRITUS SANCTUS babere Nos in Obedientia & Sanguine JESU CHRISTI. Ifai. i. 27, VITRING. in Loc.

+ Ifai. xlv. 24. In the LORD have I Righteousness and Strength. I think, We have clouded the Beauty, and weakened the Energy of this Claufe, by detaching it from the preceding Sentence. This Clause should make a Part of IMMANUEL's auguft Speech. It prefcribes the Form of that religious Swearing, or of that folemn Confeffion, which is required from every human Creature, who defires to inherit Salvation. Let Us read it in this Connection, and We shall have the most important Doctrine, that ever was delivered; expreffed in the moft forcible Manner, that can be conceived.

I have worn by Myself, and all my immortal Perfections. The Word is gone out of my Mouth in Truth, in Wisdom, and confummate Equity; and fhall not return,

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either